1. The Diver’s Gasp
Gallery Phantom.
Of all the galleries dotted throughout Samcheong-dong, it was a place particularly recognized for its ability to discover new talent.
It was rumored—not just among established artists but also among art majors dreaming of becoming full-time painters—that if you signed an exclusive contract with Phantom, which was said to spot promising artists with an almost ‘ghostly’ intuition, success was all but guaranteed, not only in the domestic market but overseas as well.
Ambitious young artists, who pursued experimental and highly individualistic work while wanting to be recognized for it, would visit Phantom in person with their portfolios, several of them a week.
They first had to go through an interview with Director Han. Afterward, a select few whom Director Han deemed promising would be sent to the CEO, Liu Weikun.
‘I heard you discovered the artist Seo Yeehyeon here at Phantom.’
And seven or eight out of ten of them would inevitably bring up Seo Yeehyeon’s name.
And, each time, Liu’s hand, flipping through the portfolio, would have to pause.
He would pretend not to be surprised, pretend his heart hadn’t just dropped at the sound of that name, and, forcing a calm facade, he would ask.
‘Is the fact that we discovered Seo Yeehyeon a reason you want to sign with us?’
‘Because he’s a pretty successful artist for our generation. I’m not interested in being acknowledged by the mainstream market, but I don’t want to be ignored either. If I’m going to make work that people either love or hate anyway, it’s better to be definitively hated and definitively loved, isn’t it? He’s almost a role model for people like me.’
To think his name was heard even in a place so far removed—that was how much the artist Seo Yeehyeon was growing. In a place that was not by Liu Weikun’s side.
‘But of course, I’ll be different from Seo Yeehyeon.’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘Even if I get a better offer from somewhere else before my contract is up, I’ll never betray Phantom.’
Occasionally, there were people who added such remarks.
The type who believed that Seo Yeehyeon, who had been nothing but a fledgling artist, had received an offer to join a Paris-based art foundation called ‘The Hands,’ and had betrayed ‘Phantom,’ the gallery that discovered him, to leave for ‘The Hands.’
No artist who blindly believed and repeated such rumors ever brought in a good portfolio. There was no need to feel any regret in rejecting them. It was a relief.
Closing the portfolio, Liu would explain to them each and every time.
‘Seo Yeehyeon did not betray Phantom. We decided together after discussing it, because we judged it to be a very good opportunity for him. He was our friend, not our business tool.’
After they left with looks of having made a mistake, it went without saying that he wanted to smoke. Sometimes, a savage mood would wash over him. It was an anger directed at himself.
Even if it hadn’t been for the ‘Changing,’ Seo Yeehyeon would have had to go to ‘The Hands.’ It was too good an opportunity for Yeehyeon as an artist, and the experience there would help him grow so much more. He couldn’t have told him to give up such a chance. That isn’t love.
And perhaps, if it hadn’t been for the ‘Changing,’ Liu himself would have abandoned Phantom for Yeehyeon and gone to Paris with him. The word ‘abandon’ might sound extreme, but he would have done so without any hesitation. That was the truth.
But he was not permitted to follow Yeehyeon.
Because of the terrible sin he himself had committed against him.
He was only remaining here because he had not been permitted.
There was no other reason, no other purpose.
In the castle called ‘Phantom’ that he had built with his own hands, Liu was thus floating, a faint ‘phantom.’
This is a story about the Liu Weikun of that time.
■ ■ ■
The autumn group exhibition for its affiliated artists was one of Phantom’s annual events.
And prior to the main exhibition, a pre-opening event was held for VIP clients. Because of it, the lights at Phantom stayed on late into the night.
Only an even smaller number of VIPs were invited to the after-party that followed the event. Having maintained ties with Phantom for a long time, some of them had developed relationships that were closer to acquaintances or friends than clients. As a result, the after-parties always flowed cheerfully, like a boisterous social gathering.
That day, too, about ten VIPs remained until the very end.
They were having a pleasant time at a table set up in the second-floor hall, mingling with the Phantom staff. Plenty of drinks and food were prepared, and a professional DJ was hired to play music that suited the atmosphere.
Liu, who had been at the table with them, had broken away from the group at the request of a client and was slowly looking around, introducing the artworks.
“What about this piece? The artist seems to be showing up a lot lately.”
The man, who was around Liu’s age, was a new client introduced by an existing VIP. Though still young, he was a big spender who had already purchased dozens of pieces in less than half a year.
“That’s Jin Jaeyeon, an artist who got a fantastic response at the Hong Kong Art Fair this year. All the works he submitted at the time were sold out. I think it would go well with the collection you’re building, Mr. Jeongmin.”
“This artist, I believe he’s an Omega…”
“Yes… that’s correct.”
What on earth did the artwork have to do with the artist’s secondary gender? It was an uncomfortable question, but he couldn’t not answer.
“You must have met the artist as well, CEO Liu?”
“Well… yes. He’s one of our artists.”
“I heard I was pretty fond of drawing when I was young, too. Maybe I should have kept at it. Then I might have become a Phantom artist…”
The man, his words trailing off, glanced at Liu once before bringing the champagne flute to his lips.
This man, who was expressing his interest in Liu, was also an Omega. Unless Liu’s pheromone nervous system was completely broken, he was sure of it. And he was probably a Golden Omega.
The man was wary of the other Omegas in Liu’s vicinity. Even though they had no relationship whatsoever.
Liu was not so naive as to be oblivious to the intent behind the man’s words and actions.
And he was seasoned enough to naturally feign ignorance, despite knowing it all.
“I was told I had a talent for drawing when I was young, too… but after meeting so many painters through this line of work, I realized it’s not something you can achieve with just that. It’s a domain where overwhelming geniuses thrive. It’s a great joy just to be able to assist and appreciate their work from up close. Would you like to see another piece by Jin Jaeyeon?”
At Liu’s attitude of feigning ignorance, the man did not hide his disappointment. Nor did he back down.
“If I buy that painting, will you deliver it yourself, CEO Liu?”
“Haha… Deliveries are usually handled by our staff member, Kwon Juhan.”
“Hmm… what if I said I’d buy three pieces?”
“……”
Liu stopped walking and turned to look at the man.
The Golden Omega, who had grown up wanting for nothing, expressed his interest in Liu more clearly than before. His expression and gaze were an overt seduction.
Bending his back slightly, Liu lowered his voice.
“I am not an escort.”
No matter how much of a VIP client he was, Liu did not act subservient.
He would respond with basic courtesy and politeness, but there was no need to grovel to sell a painting. If you had good artists and good works, flattery was unnecessary. —That had been his management philosophy since Phantom first opened.
Besides, not a few people maintained their VIP status at Phantom just to build a connection with Liu Weikun, a scion of a Hong Kong art tycoon family with unrivaled influence in both the Eastern and Western art worlds. He had no need to be subservient to them in the first place.
However, the man was not intimidated by Liu’s quiet pressure.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It is an insult to me, but it is also an insult to the artwork. If you intend to purchase the work with such intentions, we will have to decline. There are plenty of clients who wish to own our artists’ works.”
“Don’t be so angry. I was just joking. It was thoughtless of me.”
The man kept smiling brightly at the angry Liu. Stepping aside to avoid the man’s hand as he tried to grab his arm, Liu, in turn, casually placed a hand on the man’s shoulder.
“And, keep your pheromones to yourself. That level won’t get past my receptors anyway.”
As Liu walked back toward the painting, the smile finally vanished from the man’s face.
From a distance, did the two of them also appear peaceful? A middle-aged woman, one of the boisterous group remaining at the table, watched them with a pleased expression.
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